Forever This Way
by awesomebooks
Summary: Jack Lives! Aboard Carpathia Rose makes the decision to not marry Cal. Jack and Rose look forward, and struggle, to and during their new life together . Is there love strong enough to conquer all or, does the love they once have falter at the seems
1. Chapter 1

A/N Characters may be slightly ooc

Forever This Way

Rose's POV

I was petrified! My worst nightmare had come true. Jack was dead and nothing I did could change that horrid fact. I'd have to learn to live again and to really be myself. How could I really be myself without Jack? He was what inspired me and allowed me to transform from Rose the young, bothered, somewhat depressed, irritable, rich girl from the luxurious part of town, to the new Rose. The new Roe is fun, adventurous. Outgoing, lively, and though some may consider it odd or preposterous, I owe it 100% to this man who's hand lay in mine. The only thing keeping him from the depths of the frigid icy waters of the Northern Atlantic Ocean was my hand. As soon as I let his hand break free of mine, he would sink and be nothing but a memory to me, but a memory that I'd never forget. As I lay on that door, I realize yet another fact that seemed impossible for me to think of at the time. Eventually, I'd have to fall in love again. The man I am to fall in love with isn't Jack. How could I possibly e expected to do that. I couldn't. I was and still am in love with Jack beyond what words can describe. The only person I could ever love, the only person that I would allow myself to love, wasn't there anymore. That's it then, he's gone, there is nothing I can do, and nothing anyone else can do. If I can't be with him, then I'm not going to be with anyone. I can take care of myself just fine. Who said I needed a man to support me anyways. I can do just fine alone. I thought. Then, within this rush of anger, a new though hit me. 'Rose, are you pregnant?' It would make sense. Just a few hours before we had… well…. Expressed our love for one another in a way that should not have been done with me being only a little over age seventeen. This though, for some odd reason, made me happy. I think it was the fact that if I was, then the baby was Jack's, therefore, giving me a part of him. Amidst my happiness though, I still wanted nothing more than for him to return to me so we could get married once we reached New York and start our family together. But I knew that this was a far-fetched dream that had no possibility of happening, so why waste time trying to make it happen? Just then I heard a man yelling from a nearby lifeboat. I knew I had to get to that boat, for me, for the possible unborn baby, and… for Jack. I clenched his hand tightly then gently kissed it. "I'll never let go." I said, referring to a promise that I had made him earlier in the night. Then I watched him sink beneath the icy waters. Now the only thing I had left of him was the memory of the most amazing man I ever knew and, I'd say, the best man who ever was.

I wanted to cry, wanted to stay there and weep, wish that he were with me. But that wasn't possible, I had to go on and honor him, by reaching the boat. So, I carefully slid myself into that water, took a deep breath and started screaming as loud as I could. But that was a slight whisper if anything. So I knew I had to find some way to get the man on that boat's attention. So I looked around me, water, furniture and scrapes left over from the wreck, and people whom had the same outcome as Jack. Then I saw a whistle around one man's neck. I swam to it as fast as I could and blew on it. The man on the boat heard me and screamed something, I was too tired and out of it to understand what. But before I knew it and young, strong man was pulling me into the lifeboat, "Are you okay, Miss?" he asked "Yes sir." I managed, then he gave me a blanket and told me to try to calm myself, he must have seen the tears in my eyes. I nodded. After that I don't remember anything until the next morning aboard the Carpathia. A handsome young man, obviously not as handsome as Jack but still, came to me. " Excuse me, Miss." He said and tapped my shoulder. I looked up at him.

"Yes?" I asked.

"May I have your name, for the lists?" I just stared at him a moment then said

"Dawson. Rose Dawson."

"Thank you." The man said, nodded and scurried off to ask some other passengers the same question. I immediately broke down and started crying again, when the recollection of last night's events came back to me. All I wanted was Jack. All I wanted was for him to hold me in his arms, strong from hard work and drawing. I wanted him to be here saying, "Its okay, Rose. Just let the chaos calm down, and the panic subside, everything is going to go back to normal, as soon as that happen." Or something like that, his words of kindness and encouragement always could make you stop worrying and calm down and laugh. Or if not laugh, then at least become calmed and know that everything in fact was going to be okay.

Suddenly, Out of the corner of my eye, I caught someone who looked quite familiar. I lifted my head slightly to see who it was. I was disappointed. It was Cal. Why and how. Why did Cal make it off Titanic and not Jack? Cal is rude and cruel, uncaring, obsessed with money & himself. Jack was kind, and funny, and thoughtful, considerate, obsessed with making other happy. He was so carefree, and an all around fun and nice guy to be around. Then the how question came into play. How could Cal make it off so easy? Jack and I had to fight to make it. Look where it landed us. I am here aboard the Carpathia, with a broken heart and an emotional wound that may never heal. He didn't even make it out of the water. Cal… How? Probably paid someone, that or… I can't even think of it but… steal a woman or child claiming to be related to them, something along those lines. He made me sick, and in that exact moment, I decided that I would never speak to Cal Hockley ever again. So I threw a blanket across my face and ducked, so he wouldn't see me.

Jack's Pov

Rose…. I love her to no end… but right now I could slap her. Well, not slap I wouldn't hit a woman. But at least give her a good yelling'. Well, I guess it was kind of my fault. But, hey, I'm sorry, I'm a heavy sleeper. So I had just fought my way from E-Deck to the deck of Titanic, watching out for both her and me, been flung into icy cold freezing water, and given Rose the only item I could find that might keep us afloat. Not to mention that I had been sleeping on a small bottom bunk bed for the past few nights, and my back and neck were horrible. You can't blame me for being tired after going through that, anybody would be, and everybody was.

Anyways, when Rose let go of my hand and I began to sink into the Atlantic Ocean, I woke up. I knew what she had though too, for many people have thought that over the years, when I've been in a deep sleep. But let's not talk about that. I mean I could fill a book with that stuuf. When I regained consciousness, I realized that I was sinking and that water was coming up my nose and in my mouth. I closed my mouth and plugged my nose, and swam to the top of the water. I looked on that board, Rose wasn't there. I knew this meant one of two things; either she had decided that she had decided that she had nothing without me and had let this endless ocean swallow her, or, which was more apt to happen because she wouldn't go back on a promise, she had somehow found a way onto a lifeboat and was safe. I thought of the two options, the first pulling at my heart, the second also pulling but in a good way because it meant that she loved me and did me the one thing that I ever asked her to do. Soon I heard a whistle blowing in the pitch darkness. I felt a smile grow across my face at that moment, because I knew it was Rose signaling to get picked up. She was Okay. Now it didn't matter what else happened, as long as Rose was okay, I was okay. I was lying on the same board I had gotten for her, thinking of a logical way to get to a boat myself. In mid- thought a man in a boat hit me in the head with an ore. It hurt like crazy, and if it weren't for the situation we were in, I might have fought him. But I needed to get to the rescue ship, and this guy seemed to be my only chance so I grabbed the side of the boast, unable to speak at that moment. The gentleman looked down and softly touched my hand "Sir" he said quietly.

"Yeah" I asked as perky as I could.

"Thank you." He said quietly and pulled me into the boat, where I fell asleep, safely this time. The next thing I know I was on the deck of the Carpathia. I looked and looked for Rose but couldn't find her. So I decided it would be easier to go to the Captain's quarters and ask for a crewmember to find her. Another man was soon sent out with my request, as for me I sat quietly on a chair waiting and practicing what I would do or say as soon as she walked through the door.

Rose's POV

I sat there, still in tears, but happy that Cal had left and there had been no news of my Mother. Then the moment that I had dreamt for, but never imagined could really happen happened. A young steward was running around the boat deck looking for a Rose DeWitt Buckater. I went up to the man, since that was my real name. "That's me." I said.

"I have been asked to tell you to please go to the Captain's quarters as soon as possible, there is someone there who wants to see you." He said.

"Thank you." Was all I could manage to say believing that the person that wanted me was either Cal or Mother. I forced myself to make that long walk. Each step bringing me closer, sort of depressing me more. Then I reached the office. I reached for the door handle and opened the door, and I was so elated and astounded when I saw who it was that wanted me. It was Jack.

"Jack!" I screamed and ran straight to him, jumping onto his lap immediately. "How, it doesn't make any sense, you died in the water, holding my hand."

"No I didn't Rose! I'm right here. You see I was really only sleeping, I'm a heavy sleeper."

"Well I guess so. Gosh I was so terrified. I thought I'd lost you. I don't know what I would have done had that been the case." I practically screamed at him.

"Aww, you're just saying that. You don't care about some gutter rat on the streets." He smiled at me, since he knew that it wasn't even close to what I thought of him, I laughed too.

"Well, Monsieur Gutter Rat, you have some explaining to do." I said, his face instantly turned serious.

"What might that be?"

"How did you get to a lifeboat? Especially since I basically almost let you drowned in the water, thinking you were dead."

"I was asleep."

"People don't sleep in the middle of a freezing ocean, while their lover bangs their hands and arms on a hard surface, then sink to the bottom of the ocean!" I screamed.

"Well, Rose I'm sorry for scaring you. But I can't 'help that I fell asleep, I tried not to, guess that didn't work out so well though."

"No it didn't. Now answer this question, How did you get to a boat?"

"After you let me go, I was probably about 30ft. under the water, and then I woke up. I instantly realized, as anyone with common sense would, that I was under water. I closed my mouth and plugged my nose. I swam up to the surface like that; I didn't expect that I'd actually get there though, the water being so cold and me being so deep under it. But, luckily, I did and as soon as I reached the surface, I saw the boar I had you on. I saw that you were off of it, which, I assumed, meant that you had left to find a boat and get saved, like you promised. SO that eased my mind to know that you were trying, and didn't give up. I was still concerned though, because there was no way for me to know if you were actually saved yet or if you were just trying to get saved. Then I heard a whistle blow in the middle of the night, and I knew somehow, that it was you and I saw the boat get closer and rescue you, all while lying on the board. It was, oh I'd say about five minutes later that I realized that you were safe. I was worn out, and exhausted, but an image of you kept floating through my mind. That gave me the strength to also get rescued. I saw a boat in the distance, of course not the same one you were on. I couldn't find anything to signal for help, and my voice was so quiet and horse by then that I couldn't yell. So I did what seemed most logical to me at the time. I kneeled on the board and used my arms as ores, and paddled to the boat, they stopped and got me, then this morning I woke up on this fine ship, and started looking for you." He told this long story, all the while me crying in his arms.

" Okay. The important thing is that you're safe and I'm safe" We looked at each other smiling and got up to leave, as the office was filling with people doing the exact same thing Jack had done. On our way out the door I said " Still, how can even the heaviest sleeper sleep through that?" He didn't answer, just smiled again. I wanted the silence to stop so I got a little closer to him a grabbed his hand, squeezing it. " I have something very important to tell you, Jack."

"Whats that?" He asked

" I've decided that… I'm not going to marry Cal. I don't love Cal. I thought I did, but that was because I had nothing to compare him to and I was stranded with him. I could never marry Cal now, because I don't truly love him. I… I love you, Jack." I said, stuttering a lot.

" I love you too, Rose." He said pressing his arm tightly on the side of my waist. We walked and walked until we came to the bow of Carpathia. Thn, like we had the night befor on , we went to it and he told me " Rose, close your eyes." I did thinking that I was going to get that magnificent feeling I had the night before. That feeling that made me feel as though I were flying. But this time it was nothing, I just stood there, waiting for anything really. A few moments later that lying moment was topped. Jack ssaid, " Okay, Rose, open your eyes and look down." I did and my jaw dropped right away. Jack was grinning ear to ear.

" Rose, I… Let metry to say this. You're the most amazing person I've ever met, and I abosolutley adore and love you. I have 10 cents to my name right now and nothing to offer you. But I lovce you… more than anyone ever had, does, or will. So I ask you tonight, Rose, Will you marry me?" Of course I didn't have to think twice. I jumped on him

" OF COURSE I WILL MARRY YOU!" I exclaimed.


	2. Chapter 2

Once the Carpthia docked in New York, just like Rose had said, she and Jack got off the ship together. True, this wasn't the ship it was said on, nor were the circumstances and tradgety they been though only a couple nights prior known, but still, this ship docked, and still they had gotten offboard together. As soon as they were off, they fought through the crowd of people surronding the docks. It was a rainy night, so they slid and slipped all through the crowd, all through the streets. Finally, they came to where nhe mass mob of people was no more. Jack grabed Rose's hand evem tighter than he had been, and guided her into a dark alley, in the back of the alley, he pulled her tightly against him. "Rose, I hate to ask, but do you have any money on you?" She was beyond perplesxed, but she threw her hands into the leather jacket that Cal had drape over her shoulders a few nights before. She hadn't yet taken it off, she fished out some moey and under the faint moonlight, counted it.

" I have about ten dollars." She said calmly, "Why?" Jack just held her close, and whispered, as to not be heard by anyone,

"We have to get away. Your mother and Cal may find us if we stay around these parts too long. First thing tomorrow morning, we're buying us some train tickets and leaving."

"Tomorrow?" She stuttered to get out the one simple word. "So soon?"  
>" Ya don't have nothing you need to take with you do ya?" He asked quickly, knowing the answer. "You don't. Its all at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Along with everyone else' 're lucky we both made it, I shouldn't have. It is truly a miracle that I'm here. Now all we have is each other, the clothes on our back and, ten dollars, and I have a dime. So we have $10.10. I don't know how much ticket prices range, but I imagien that'll be fine. Rose, I know its quick, and hard to do, but if we want to be together, always, we must do it. We must get out of here soon. I was thinking of going to Wisconsin, showung you where I grew up, establishing a nice little home... I can build it, and getting married, then mabe heading out west and starting a family. How's that life sound?"" His eagerness showed in his smile.<p>

"It sounds wonderful!" Rose exclaimed. "It is the kind of life I've always wanted, and you're the kind of man I've always wanted. It all sounds so perfect!"

That night, they had managed to find some dark gutter to sleep beneath. It was not the best accommodations, obviously, especially in the middle of a thunderstorm. But they didn't mind, they had some shelter, and even though their mind knew that their bodies were terribly cold, they both felt very warm huddled up together. Then, Rose sneeze. Jack, then, realized that he may be used to sleeping outdoors, vulnerable to all the elements of nature, and knew how to get by without getting sick, but Rose didn't. She was used to big,warm, fancy houses with incredibly soft beds to sink into, big fluffy pillows absorbing her head, and probably either beautiful, warm, flannel or maybe even silk nightgowns, not drenched day dresses. As he glanced at her, lying there halfway in his arms, halfway on the ground, shivering, trying her best not to show any signs of turmoil, or unhappiness, he realize that he was not doing his best to protect her. "Rose, are you alright?" He asked sternly, knowing that she wouldn't respond truthfully.

"I'm fine." W... Why... Why do yo... you a...ask?" She stuttered as steadily as she could, but her fake chipperness couldn't disguise her in disdain for the sleeping conditions. Jack smiled, he knew that this was exactly what she would say. He knew she understood very well what marrying him would mean, and she understood that they would not always have the best of things, including housing, she had accepted that, and now she was trying her very best to act on it. He was glad that she loved him so much that she'd put up with all of this and more just to be with him. But, he was the man. WHen thier wedding day came, h_e would be a man. _Until the day he met Rose, he had still been a little boy in a man's body. Running to and fro never having a real home, not having a steady job, he acted so childish, his life was a little boy on an adventure that never ended. Now, he had matured, and needed to still, in a very little amount of time. He scooped her up in his arms and crawled oout from the gutter. It was still raining, and still thundering, but he knew what must be done.

"Jack, where are we going?" She asked sleepily, but not real concerned. She trusted him, with her life, literally. He had saved her life, more than once.

"We can't stay here tonight. We need to find a place to stay."

"No." She exclaimed, suddenly irritated. "We have no where to go."

"They have hotels for a reason."

"No, they're expensive, we need the money for the train tickets."  
>" Yes, Rose, you're sneezing and shivering. This is no way a lady should be treated. We may need to stay here awhile longer, just until I can make some more money for the tickets again.<p>

When they arrived at the hotel, the manager was quite heated by them. "Who do you think you are?" The man scoffed angrily. "Its past closing hours. We do not accept people after 9. Read the sign." He pointed at the door. Jack's gaze followed the man's finger. Sure enough, the sign read 'accepting guests 11-9.' Jack gritted his teeth, luckily, he knew how to talk with people, convince them.

"Sir," Jack began, "i understand that your hotel is closed. I understand that you do not accept people after 9, and had I known that, I would've came earlier. But, Sir, you do not understand..." HE hesitated a moment, he wasn't one to play the sympathy card, but it seemed his only solution. He choked down some spit, swallowing his pride, "You don't understand our situation. Now, we are a young couple, I'm 20, she's 17." He directed his eyes to Rose, still in his arms. "We have been through a lot in the last few days, now don't take this the wrong way, we're not looking for sympathy. We were on Titanic. We fought up until the very last minute to stay alive, thank God we both are. Now we're here in New York, with no place to go. We lost all of our belongings when it sank. All we have in the world is the clothes on our back, $10.10, and each other. That's more than enough, but we really need somewhere to stay. Just for the night. We were going to try to sleep in the gutter, save the money for train tickets. But, the storm is so fierce and if it was just me, I wouldn't have a problem with it, but my beautiful bride-to-be doesn't deserve to be out, exposed to the elements, that are potentially dangerous. Please, Sir, give us a room, for the night. We're not asking for a discount or chairity, just an exception from the rule for a couple that is in a hard spot right now. PLease Sir, let us have a room." The man's hard exterior melted away and a smile grew on his face

"That is a very touching story, young man. Yes, I willl make an exception this one time. In fact, its not charity, just a special 'sale' for you, I'll give you a room for two nights for the price of one." Jack and Rose both smiled, they were elated

"Thank you, you'll never know how much we appreciate this!" Jack exclaimed. Then they checkied in, got thier key, and went to thier room. Once the door was unlocked, Jack walked over to the bed and sat Rose down upon it gently.

"We shouldn't be doing this." She mumbled under her breth.

" What?" Jack questioned dumbfoundly.

"Wasting mosey on a hotel room when we could've just as easy stayed outside the night and take off out west tomorrow. Now we're going to have to stay here even longer... Where Mother and Cal are."

"We could have." Jack stated matter-of-factly, "But what kind of man..." He corrected himself quickly, "What kind of fiancé would I be if I let my beautiful bride-to-be freeze outside on stormy night when there was a hotel right acrosss the street. I'll tell you what kind, a prett shitty one. I'm not like that, I am not going to let my future wife suffer, even just for a night." His words were sternly spoken, but love flowed from his mouth as he spoke.

"I'm so cold." Rose murmered, trying not to seem needy or unappreciatative.  
>"Its ok." Jack said, then crossed over to her on the bed and gently began to undress her, thier bodies would be all the wamth they'd need.<p>

A/N Oh my goodness! Its been almost a year since I posted chapter 1, annd I am so glad that I finally wrote chapter 2. I promise you I will update more frequently. Thank you for reading, I apologize for any errors, I'm writing this on a notpad that doesn't catch many erros. R&R please :)


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

"Where are you ?" Rose asked sleepily, squinting her eyes agaist the reflection of the new morning sun, making its way to thier room through the crystal clear glass window. "To get a job." He replied nonchlantly. Rose was taken aback, shockedm she exclaimed, "A job?! So soon?" "The sooner I get a job and make us some money the, sooner we can leave." Rose smiled weakly, "Can't you wait a couple of days?" "No." He answered flatly, then crossed over to the bed, bent over, and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek before he exited thier room. Rose then laid back down, her mind flooding with several thoughts. She was feeling so many emotions it was almost unreal, \happiness, excitment, nervousness, anger, love, disdain, uneasiness, these emotions seemed to contridict each other perfetly, and yet, Rose felt absolutly perfect, content, happy for once in her life. Finaally, sleep overtook her body once more. When she awoke, an elated Jack was lying on his side beside her. She batted her eyes open, "good morning, Beautiful." He smiled, She looked up at him, returning the grin, then she glanced beside her a beautiiful red rose in full bloom was right there beside her... As she became more awake, Jack said in a calm and loving manner, "A rose my dear Rose." She giggled like a little school girl and picked it up gently, examining every centimeterthe stem, leaf, and petals.

"Its beautiful." She exclaimed,

"It doesn't do you justice." She smirked again, Jack was a true romantic. Suddenly, a duller thought came across her mind.

"The price?" Jack sighed heavily,

" I cut it off a a rosebush downtown, but what would it matter anyway?"

"The money." She paused a moment... "The job?"

"Well,we got $5 from left from last night, and... Well." He pulled from his pocket a handful of shiney silver coins. "I made a total of $3 today from my drawings in the city."

"How did you have time to draew if you were looking for a job?"

"I don't know I just..."

"Jack!" Rose exclaimed, "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you've made some moey for us toleave but... You were supposed to look for a jhob! That's a lot of money to make in one day... Especially for just doing drawings on the sde of the road, btu... You need a real job, We need the money."

"Don't fret so much,."

"Don't fret?" Rose's tone was slightly enraged. "Don't fret? How can I not... The longer we stay in New York the more apt it is that we're going to gett separated by Mothr and Cal!"

"Have I ever told you how pretty you are when you're angry?" He drank in her body, face, her soul.

"I don't care how...how... angry I get or how pretty... You need a job! We can't live in this hotel all our life, damn, we can't even live in it for three days! We have to be out _tomorrow! _Then what Jack?! What's next?!" Jack hung his head in defeat, he needed to warn her... She thought she had known what it would be like but she would never... Not until she experienced it... Now she was experiencing it first hand... uncertainty. _I need to say it... I love her... If you love someone let them be free. _Jack was now dying inside, he didn't want to tell her to leave but he must give her the option.

"Jack" Rose's tone instantly softened as she rose to her feet and crossed the room to the spot where he stood, "Jacl, dear, what's troubling you?" He took a deep sigh,

"Take a seat... On the bed..." He took her arm and seated her, then he took a seat beside her. Her expression was scared, serious, concerned. Her face showed her feelings. "Rose" He took her hand and squeezed it tightly. "You must reconsider."

"Reconsider? Reconsider what?"

"Marrying me." He chocked out the sentance. Rose was taken aback, insulted.

"Jack, why on Earth would I ever reconsider that? I love you, I want to marry you... Every couple has thier quarrels but..." Jack cut her off there,

"Its notthe arguing, every couple does fight on nocasion... Its the uncertainty."

"Of what" Rose asked perplexed.

"Rose, if you marry me, we'll be wanderers... Never really having a perminate home, job, no real place to belong but with each other."

"Thats fine by me, honest." She exclaimed gently, cuddling closer to him.

"Rose, you're having a meltdown over me not having a job... We've only been in this city one day, and you're already panicing. This is my life Rose..." He hesitated as he said the next part, "No home, no family, no certainity... My life well, its like a card game..." He gave a slight smile,remembering the dinner they had together back on Titanic the night after he ha so called saved her life. " You never know what hand you're going to get next... Thats my life. I never know what I'm in for, You say you don't mind that lifestyle, but I'm not so sure you know what you're getting into... Now listen, I love you and there are plenty of other guys better than me that could offer you more and you wouldn't have to worry about..." "Jack!" Rose screamed hostilily, "How dare you! How dare you say such absurd things! I love you Jack, I don't care abot having stability in my life... As long as that life is stable and with you!" She stopped a moment to catch her breath and her vocie was now more apologetic, "The only reason I'm so stressed and worried about it rght now is because if we don't go soon, Jack, I'm going to get caught. I don't want to go with them... I want to stay with you forever, whatever it takes. I promise, that is my only want... And I'm scared that I won't get it." She seemed as if she were about to cry , so Jack wrapped his arms around her and pulled him even closer to him

"There, There, Rose its alright. I'll protect you I have everything taken care of and under control, I promise... Nothing will ever happen to you. We are going to be together forever, never parted... _Ever." _


End file.
